Vacuum-breaker.



Patented May 21,1918.

NT FFQF.

HARRY E.l MORTON, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

VACUUM-BREAKER.

Lacasse.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 21, 191s.

Application led May 10, 1916. Serial No. 96,613.

To all 107mm t may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY E. MoRToN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts,have invented an `Improvement in Vacuum-Breakers, of which the followingis a specication.

This invention relates to vacuum-breakers adapted to open the vacuumspace of a jet condenser to the atmosphere, and thereby destroy thevacuum between the said condenser and the engine in case the condensingwater rises abnormally in the condenser, thereby to check its progress,and prevent it from flowing back through the exhaust steam-pipe to theengine and wrecking the engine.

The invention is intended as an improvement on the vacuum-breaker of myPatent No. 1,204,302, dated November 7thl9l6, and involves the sameprinciple of operation, in that the weight of the condensing water isutilized to cause the operation of the air inlet valve to open thevacuum space to the atmosphere, and destroy the vacuum.

The vacuum-breaker of my aforesaid application involves a receptaclewhich is arranged at the outside ot" the condenser and is closed to theatmosphere, and is in open communication with the interior of thecondenser to receive the condensing water which rises therein to anabnormal level, and which would tlow back through the exhaust steam-pipeto the engine unlessl its progress was checked, said receptacle beingmovable by the Weight of the condensing water to operate suitable meansfor opening an air inlet-valve to open the vacuum space to theatmosphere, and thereby destroy the vacuum, and thus check the progressof the condensing water and prevent it from flowing back through theexhaust steam-pipe to the engine. y

The present invention involves improvements in the construction of thesupporting-frame for the component parts, and of the counterbalancingmeans for the receptacle; also improvements in the construction of thetripping-mechanisin for the actuating-lever of the air-inlet valve; alsothe provision of means whereby the valve actuating-lever may be employedas an actuator to reset the tripping-mechanism, and also to restore thereceptacle to normal position;

also in other details, as will be hereinafter set forth.

Figure l is a side elevation of a vacuumbreaker embodying this inventionwhich is adapted to be associated with a jet-condenser, the parts beingin their normal or set position.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to'F ig. l, the parts having' been released toopen the vacuum space to the atmosphere.

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional detail of the hollow supporting frame.

Fig. 5 is a sectional detail oi' the means arranged between the armbearing the counterweight and the receptacle.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary detail.

Fig. 7 is a small conventional view of the jet-condenser withvacuum-breaker attached to its side wall.

The vacuum-breaker here shown is adapted to be applied exteriorly to theside of a condenser, but its application is not limited to thisparticular part of the vacuum space. 1n applying it to a. jet condenser,the shell or case l2 oit the condenser, see Fig. 2, has an opening atthe side, above the normal level of the condensing water, and over saidopening, there is extended a frame 20, which is bolted to the shell,and, said frame, as here shown, serves as a support'iior the componentparts of the vacinim-breaker. That portion of the traine which engagesthe shell has a hole through it,'-see Fig. 4e, opposite the hole in theshell; and also has an upward extension 22, which is made hollow andarranged for open communication through said hole 2l. with the vacuumspace of the condenser.A Said hollow extension 22 has an opening at thetop, to the atmosphere, which opening is formed with a valve-seat 23,adapted to receive any usualor suitable valve 24e, designed to be openedoutwardly and to be operated by means exteriorly disposed with respectto the condenser, thereby to open the vacuum space to the atmosphere anddestroy the vacuum. Said valve 24rhas a stem 25 which extends upwardlythrough a hole in the braclretQ, arranged on the frame., thereby to holdit in upright position and guide its vertical movements, and a weight ispreferably arranged on said stem. The stein- 25 has a hole 27 through ittransversely to receive one end of an actuating-lever 28, which ispivoted at 29, to the bracket 26. T he other end of said lever bears aheavy weight 30, which is designed, when permitted to fall by gravity,to move said lever on its pivot to positively lift said valve from itsseat, thereby to o-pen the vacuum space to the atmosphere. Normally saidactuating-lever is Vlneld vin posi-tion with its weighted endportionelevated and in readiness vto fall when permitted, by a suitabletrippingmechanism which is controlled by an operating-device, whichlatter is adapted to be operated by the weight of the vcondensingwaterrising abnormally in the condenser.

The operating-device, as yhere shown, consists of a hollow receptaclev35, arranged in open communication with the vacuum space, but closed tothe atmosphere, it having a hollow or tubular neck 36 at one end,preferably bent at right angles to the body-portion to form an elbow,the end-portion 37, of which has a conical terminal 38, adapted forrotary engagement with a correspondingly shaped seat 39, formed aroundthe edge of the opening 21, in the frame 2O to provide a tight bearingor support at such place. Said neck 36 has a trunnion 40, arranged inalinement with its end-portion 37, and centrally disposed with respectthereto, which trunnion has its bearing in a bracket 41 on the frame.Said end-portion 37 is held in firm engagement with the seat 39, by aspring 42, see Fig. 6, arranged on the trun-nion 40, which actsexpansively between the bracket 41 and the end-portion. To hold saidspring 42 compressed on the trunnion, when the operating-device is re.-moved from its bearing, a flanged collar 43 having a bayonet slot isarrangedL on the trunnion at theouter end of the spr-ing 42, which maybe thrust inward, against the force of the spring and into engagementwith a pin 44, thereby to be locked in place. An open bearing isprovided in the bracket 41 for the trunnion, to enable it to be readilremoved. To prevent the end-portion 37 being blown away from its seat,should the vacuum be lost, a small bracket 100 is detachably secured tothe bracket 41, which extends over` the end and the top of the endortionof the trunnion. rlhe operatingevice is thus pivotally supported on theframe, and is at all times in open communication with the vacuum space.

The pivotally supported operating-device is adapted to be oscillatedabout a horizontal axis and its end-portion 37 to move rotarily on itsseat.

The receptacle 35 normally occupies a position `slightly above thehorizontal, so that condensation will not accumulate therein, asrepresented in Fig. 1., being held in such position by means hereinafterdescribed, and in ease the condensing-water rises abnormally, suchcondensing-water will pass through the hole 21 in thesupporting-frameand through the hollow neck and into the `receptacle 35, and vadd itsweight to the receptacle. y

The receptacle is normally held in elevated position by a counterweight45, arranged on one end of a lever 46, supported by lateral knife-edgedpivots 47, which seat in V-notches formed in upright lugs 48, on abracket 49, which is attached to or formed as a part of thesupporting-frame 20. The other end of said lever, see Fig. 5, bears aconical stud 50 which engages in a conical socket formed in the vbottom'or end of the head 51 of a pin 52. The pin 52 is loosely supported andis mounted for vertical reciprocation in a 'cage 53 which is attached tothe end of the lever by its attachingarms 54. The upper terminal of saidpiny 52 is of conical conformation and is seated for universal movementin a socket 55 for-med in a boss 56, which is extended downwardly fromthe bottom of the receptacle 35. The boss 56 is made long enough toprovide against the disengagement .of the pin 52, u-pon a liftingmovement of the receptacle, except upon removal of the lever 46. Theweight 45 acts to hold the receptacle 35, when empty, inelevatedposition, see Fig. 1, and when so disposed the outer end of the lever 46will engage the stop 101, but when the condensing-water enters thereceptacle, saidweight will be raised, as represented in Fig. 3.The'downward swinging movement of the receptacle 35 is limited by anupright stop-member or pin 58 which is supported at the outer .end ofthe bracket 49.

Means are herein provided for lifting the counterweight 45, to overcomethe bala-nce of the receptacle 35, thereby to cause said receptacle,when empty, to swing downward by its own weight. As here shown, saidmeans comprises a lever pivoted at 60 to ears 61, on 'the stop 101, orthe frame, and a chain or cord 62, arranged to pass through a hole 63inthe outer end of one arm 64, of the lever which carries a weight 65,arranged below said arm, and a disk or button 66, arranged above saidarm, said chain or cord, when moved downward, causing the disk or buttonto engage the arm 64 of the lever and swing said arm downward, andcorrespondingly raise the other arm 67 of said lever. Said arm 67 isextended beneath the weight 45, and when raised will lift said weight,thereby permitting the receptacle to swing downward. The cha-in or cord62 may -be associated with any suitable form of automatic enginestop-mechanism, not here shown, by which to move it and thereby effect adownward swinging movement of the receptacle to control the operation ofthe air-inlet valve, although it is obvious, said chain or cord may bepulled by hand, if desired. It is desirable to destroy the vacuum inorder to shut down the engine quickly and the means thus providedaccomplish this result.

The tripping-mechanism which is employed for controlling the actuator 28of the air-inlet valve and which is engaged by the receptacle 35,comprises a lever 70, having a pivot-pin 7l at its upper end, whichenters a pivot-slot 72, ina vertical supporting arm 73, erected upon abracket 74, which projects from the'upper portion of the frame 20, saidlever being thus free to swing and also to move vertically. Said leverhas a lateral extension 75, the upper end of which is arranged near theupper end of the lever, and forms a shoulder thereat for the engagementwith a pin 76, which is extended laterally from the actuating-lever 2S,and said lever also has an angularly formed projection 77,- above theshoulder, there being a recess betweensaid projection and shouldersuiiicient to receive the pin 76. The actuating-lever when thus engagedis held from movement downward, although upon a swinging movement ofsaid lever through a short arc in a direction toward the left, Fig. l,the pin 76 will bedisengaged. The lever has a latch formed end-portion80 adapted to engage a bevel-faced projection 8l arranged on top of thereceptacle 35, when said receptacle is in its elevated position, asrepresented in Fig. l, so that vsaid lever is held by the receptacle inposition to engage the pin on the actuating-lever. `When the receptacleis swung downward, the projection S1 thereon disengages the latch-formedend of the lever 70, permitting said lever to swing in a directiontoward the left, thereby to disengage the pin 76, whereupon the weightedactuating-lever falls and the air-inlet valve is opened.

A yielding stop-member is arranged on the bracket 74, which is struck bythe weighted actuating-lever, when the latter falls, see Fig. 3. thuslimiting its downward movement. lVhen the receptacle 35 is moveddownward b v the condensi11g-water entering'it and has disengaged thetrippingmechanism, and the tripping-mechanism has operated to disengagethe actuating-lever 28, and the air-inlet valve has opened, the partsare in the position represented in Fig. 3.

It is herein designed that said parts shall be restored manually by areturn movement of one of the elements only, and herein the weightedactuating-lever 28 is selected as the member to be operated to restorethe parts. Saidmember is adapted to be lifted from the position shown inFig. 3, to the position shown in Fig. l, and when so moved, theair-inlet valve is closed, and the pin 76 strikes the projection 77, andswings the lever 70 back t0 its normal position and said pin then entersthe recess for engagement with the shoulder. water contained in thereceptacle will How back into the condenser, and as the receptaclebecomes empty, it should return to normal automatically by thecounterweight, and under usual conditions, this will be the case. But,in case it should fail for any reason, means are herein provided forpositively lifting the receptacle by the hand actuation of the lever 28,said means consisting of a finger 90, formed on the end of the lever 70,which is adapted to engage a hook-member 91, fixed to the top of thereceptacle 35, and when said lever 70 is moved by the engagement of thepin 76, with its projection 77, said projection will engage said hookmemberand lift the receptacle. As the lever 70 is returned to normal,and the receptacle is or has been lift-ed, the latch-formed end 80 ofthe lever will pass over the projection S1, in Aconsequence of which thelever 70 will be moved longitudinally for this purpose by reason of itspivot-pin sliding in the pivot-slot in the arm 70. Thus it will beobserved that by merely lifting the weighted actuating-lever 28, all ofthe parts will .be restored' ito normal.

Herein a pipe is arranged for connection at one end with the hollowextension 22, of the frame 20, and at the other end with the exhauststeam-pipe 96 at a point above the condenser, as represented in Fig. 7,thus establishing open communication therebetween.

On top of the extension 22 of the frame 20, a flange 98 is providedwhich surrounds the air-inlet valve, to form a cup which is adapted tobe illed with a liquid to seal and also test the ground joint whichforms the valve-seat. It will be noted that in case water ofcondensation enters the chamber of the hollow trame 20, at the top. itis free to pass through the passage at 2:2, and return to the condenser.instead of accumulating therein.

I claim l. A vacuum-breaker adapted for association with ajet-condenser, comprising a hollow supporting frame having an openingthrough its engaging-portion by which communication with thevacuum-space is established, a conical bearing surrounding said opening,said frame having a hollow extension, an air-inlet valve arranged onsaid extension, a hollow receptacle pivotally connected with said framewhich is closed to the atmosphere and has an opening arranged oppositethe opening in the frame, and a conical end-portion which rotarilyengages the conical bearing, whereby open communication with thevacuum-space is established, and the receptacle is adapted to receivecondensing-water which rises in the condenser The condensingand to movedownwardly by the weight of 'the condensing-water, and means controlledto the atmosphere, and has an opening communicating with the interior ofsaid frame, to establish open communication with the vacuum space toreceive condensing-water which rises in the condenser andto movedownwardly by the weight of the condensing-water, said frame having ahollow eXtension with an opening communicating with the exhaust steampipe, and an air-inlet valve arranged on said extension.

3'. A vacuum-breaker adapted for association with a jet-condenser,comprising a hollow receptacle closed to the atmosphere, and in opencommunication with the vacuum space and adapted to be moved downward bythe weight of the condensing-water which rises in the condenser andwhich enters it, couiiterbalancingmeans for holding said receptacle,when empty, in elevated position, which is adapted to be overcome by theweight of the condensing-water and which is arranged to restore saidreceptacle `to elevated position when the condensing-water escapes, andan air inlet valve controlled by said receptacle upon a downwardmovement thereof.

4. A vacuum-breaker adapted for association with a jet-condenser,comprising a hollow receptacle closed to the atmosphere, and in opencommunication with the vacuumspace and rotarily seated to move downwardby the weight of the condensing-water which rises in the condenser,counterbalancing means for holding said receptacle in elevatedl positioncomprising a pivoted lever, a counterweight arranged on one end-portionthereof, the other end-portion having a projection, a loosely supportedheaded pin having a pointed end, the head of which pin is socketed toreceive said projection, and a socketed boss arranged on the bottom ofthe receptacle in the socket of which said pointed end of the pin isreceived.

5. A vacuum-breaker adapted for .association Vwith a jet-condenser,comprising a hollow receptacle closed to the atmosphere, and in opencommunication with the vacuum-space, and rotarily seated to movedownward by the weight of the condensingwater which rises in thecondenser, and counterbalancing means tor holding said receptacle inelevated position, comprising a pivoted level', counterweight arranged'on one end of said lever, and engaging-means on the other end of saidlever arranged `for engagement with the receptacle.

6. A vacuum-breaker adapted for associ-'- ation with a jet-condenser,comprising a hollow receptacle closed to the atmosphere, and in opencommunication with the vacuum-space, and rotarily seated to movedownward by the-weight of the condensingf water which rises in thecondenser, counter-` balancing means for holding said receptacle,

ranged for engaging the counterweight tolitt it and permit downwardmovement of thereceptacle, and means to move said lever on its pivot.

8. A vacuum-breaker adapted for association with a jet-condenser,comprising a hollow receptacle closed to the atmosphere,

and inv open communication with .theA vacuum-space to receiveycondensing-water which rises in the condenser and movableV downwardly bythe weight of the condensing-water, an air yinlet-valve adapted vto openthe vacuum-space and destroy the vacuum, a weighted actuating-leverl'orsaid valve, and tripping-mechanism for said actuating-lever which iscontrolled by said receptacle, said'I tripping-mechanism comprising apivoted lever having a shoulder to receive a pin on the actuating-lever,and having a projection above said shoulder, and having a latch-formedend for engagement with a projection on the receptacle.

l9. A vacuum-breaker adapted for association with a jet-condensercomprising ahollow receptacle closed to the atmosphere, and in opencommunication with the vacuum-space to receive condensing-water whichrises in 'the condenser and movable downwardly byV the weight of thecondensing-water, an airinlet valve adapted to open the `vacuum-spaceand destroy the vacuum, a weighted actuating-lever for said valve,tripping-mechanism arranged for engagement with said actuating-lever andsaid receptacle, and means adapted to be operated by an upward movementof the actuating-lever for lifting the i receptacle.

10. A vacuum-breaker adapted for association with a jet-condenser,comprising a hollow receptacle closed to the atmosphere, and iii opencommunication'with the vacuum-Space to vreceive condensing-water whichrises in the condenser and movable downwardly by the weight of thecondensing-water, an air-inlet valve adapted to open the vacuum-spaceand destroy the vacuum, a weighted actuating-lever for said valve,tripping-mechanism arranged for engagement with said actuating-lever andalso said receptacle, whereby it is controlled by the receptacle upon adownward movement thereof, said tripping-mechanism including a pivotedlever having a projection at one end and a finger at the other end, saidproliection adapted to be engaged by the actuating-lever upon an upwardmovement thereof to restore said lever and cause its linger to engageand lift the receptacle.

11. A vacuum-breaker adapted for association with a jet-condenser,comprising a hollow receptacle closed to the atmosphere, and in opencommunication with the vacuum-space to receive condensing-water whichrises in the condenser and movable downwardly by the weight of thecondensingwater, an air-inlet valve adapted to open the vacuum-space anddestroy the vacuum, a weighted actuating-lever for said valve,tripping-mechanism for the actuating-lever which is controlled by thereceptacle upon a downward movement thereof, and means associated withsaid tripping-mechanism arranged for engagement with the actuatingleverfor resetting said tripping-mechanism upn an upward movement of saidlever, and means associated with said tripping-mechanism and receptaclearranged for engagement upon an upward movement of the actuating-leverby which the receptacle is lifted.

12. A vacuum-breaker adapted for association with a iet-condenser,comprising a hollow receptacle closed to the atmosphere, and in opencommunication with the vacuum-space to receive condensing-water whichrises in the condenser and movable downwardly by the weight of thecondensingwater, an air-inlet valve adapted to open the vacuum-space anddestroy the vacuum, a weighted actuating-lever for said valve,tripping-mechanism for the actuating-lever which is controlled by thereceptacle upon a downward movement thereof, and means associated withsaid tripping-mechanism arranged for engagement with the actuatingleverfor resetting said tripping-mechanism upon an upward movement of saidlever.

13. A vacuum-breaker adapted for association with a jet-condenser.comprising ahollow receptacle closed to the atmosphere,

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe and in open communication with the vacuum-space and adapted to bemoved downward by the weight of the condensing-water which enters it,means for holding said receptacle in elevated position and for restoringit to elevated position subsequently to a downward movement thereof, anair-inlet valve, actuating-mechanism and trippingmechanism therefor,controlled by said receptacle upon a downward movement thereof, saidvalve, its actuating-mechanism, and tripping-mechanism being restored tonormal upon movement of a component part thereof.

l/l. A vacuum-breaker adapted for association with a jet-condenser,comprising a hollow supporting-frame having an opening through itsengaging-portion by which communication with the vacuum-space isestablished, a valve-seat surrounding said opening, said frame hav-ing ahollow extension, an air-inlet valve arranged on said eXtension, ahollow receptacle closed to the atmosphere having an opening arrangedopposite the opening in the frame, and having a valve-formed end-portionwhich engages the valve-seat, and a trunnion opposite said end-portion,to pivotally support said receptacle, a spring arranged on said trunnionfor holding said valve-formed end-portion against its seat, and meansengaging said spring for holding it on the trunnion when the receptacleis removed.

l5. A vacuum-breaker adapted for association with a jet-condenser,comprising a hollow supporting-frame having an opening through itsengaging-portion by which communication with the vacuum-space isestablished, a valve-seat surrounding said opening, said frame having ahollow extension, an air-inlet valve arranged on said extension, ahollow receptacle closed 'to the atmosphere, having an opening arrangedopposite the opening in the frame and having a valveformed end-portionwhich engages the valveseat, and a trunnion opposite said end-portion topivotally support said receptacle, an open bearing for said trunnion,and a detach able member extending over the end and top of the trunnionfor holding it in place.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HARRY E. MORTON. Witnesses B. J. NoYEs, H. B. DAVIS.

"Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, ZD. C.v

